Ruben Lugo of Battleship Rugby Football Club sprints free on his way to a try against Mississippi Gulf Coast Rugby Club during the 34th annual Battleship Invitational Rugby Tournament at USS Alabama Battleship Park in Mobile, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (Mark Inabinett/minabinett.al.com)

MOBILE, Alabama - Team captain Eric Jackson scored a try in each game as Battleship Rugby Football Club opened the 34th annual Battleship Invitational Rugby Tournament with two victories on Saturday at USS Alabama Battleship Park.

Sewanee had Battleship on the ropes in its opening game in the men's club division, though, jumping out to a 12-0 lead. However, Tim Duvall and Jackson had tries, and Denver Crumpler made both conversion kicks as Battleship battled back to win 14-12. The difference? Sewanee missed one of its conversion kicks.

Denver Crumpler of Battleship Rugby Football Club catches the ball during a lineout against Mississippi Gulf Coast Rugby Club during the 34th annual Battleship Invitational Rugby Tournament at USS Alabama Battleship Park in Mobile, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (Mark Inabinett/minabinett.al.com)

In its second game, Battleship dominated Mississippi Gulf Coast RC in an 18-5 victory.

"We played hard," Battleship coach Brad Hudson said. "We have a lot of new, young guys on the team, and they played really well for not having much experience."

Against Gulf Coast, Crumpler's penalty kick gave Battleship a 3-0 lead. It wasn't until the final seconds of the first half that Battleship got past the goal line, with Jackson grounding the ball for an 8-0 advantage.

After two near-misses on the goal line early in the second half, Joshua Alweiss powered in for a try to give Battleship a 13-0 lead. The score came after a lineout when Mississippi got off a short kick from its end zone.

Ruben Lugo scored Battleship's final try, coming out of a ruck near the 22-meter line with the ball and sprinting away for Battleship's final points.

Mississippi scored late in the second half, with Chris Lochenious getting over the goal line, and the final stages of the game featured some grousing among some of the players before the official calmed things down.

"It's a tough game and some things happen on the bottom of the pile sometimes that are best left unsaid," Hudson said. "But sometimes it gets some tempers flaring."

Players from Battleship Rugby Football Club (red) and Mississippi Gulf Coast Rugby Club (black) try to get a handle on the ball during the 34th annual Battleship Invitational Rugby Tournament at USS Alabama Battleship Park in Mobile, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (Mark Inabinett/minabinett.al.com)

Battleship plays New Orleans in the men's club semifinals at 9 a.m. Sunday.

Jackson's looking forward to it. He started playing rugby seven years ago, getting into the game through his two older brothers. One's first exposure to the sport came at the Battleship tourney. All three played rugby while at the University of Alabama. Jackson is in his third year with Battleship RFC.

"It's hard to describe to people who aren't involved with it," Jackson said of rugby's appeal. "There's just something about it. Definitely, the physical contact, and then the social side of it as well -- a much different breed of folks."

More than 30 teams are playing in the tournament divided into four divisions. In addition to the men's club group, there are women's club, men's collegiate and women's collegiate divisions.

Players from Battleship Rugby Football Club (red) and Mississippi Gulf Coast Rugby Club (black) battle for the ball in a scrum during the 34th annual Battleship Invitational Rugby Tournament at USS Alabama Battleship Park in Mobile, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012. (Mark Inabinett/minabinett.al.com)

The Atlanta Renegades play LSU in the other men's club semifinal at 9 a.m. Sunday. The championship game is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.

The tournament concludes on Sunday with 15 games, starting at 9 a.m. with the men's club semifinals, followed by four games each at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon before the men's club championship.